Ellis Genge believes England enter their World Cup semi-final against South Africa on Saturday with “everyone wanting us to lose”.

England head into the penultimate round as the tournament’s only unbeaten team and as standard bearers for northern hemisphere rugby following the exit of more heralded rivals Ireland, France and Scotland.

Facing them is one of the great Springbok sides, who are strong favourites to triumph in the rematch of the 2019 final, but Steve Borthwick’s men have grown accustomed to being written off.

Genge insists that, while some players will block out any negativity from outside the camp, he will be part of a group who use it as fuel.

“I think it’s probably half and half. I think it’s probably case by case,” the Bristol prop said.

“I quite like the noise and having our backs up against the wall, with everyone wanting us to lose. That probably fuels me a bit. Others are probably better off blocking it out.

“You don’t get any more style points in this. It’s about winning, that’s all we’re focused on. It’s boring I know, but that’s all that matters. Find a way. Whatever way, I’m happy with it.

“We have achieved nothing yet. We have got a semi-final, but you don’t win any medals so we need to knuckle down and do the hard work and what will be will be.”

England advanced to the last four with a gripping 30-24 victory over Fiji, the darlings of the World Cup who were being willed on by neutrals at the Stade Velodrome.

Veterans Courtney Lawes and Owen Farrell excelled against the Islanders, yet Genge believes they are the target of animosity – a point underlined when England’s captain Farrell drew boos from sections of the crowd as his name was read out on the PA system while the teams were warming up.

“You look around and we have people like Courtney and people with 300 caps across three players, which is mental, and some of the best players of their generation,” Genge said.

“Right now they are probably the villains because everyone hates on them. Owen, he gets a lot of grief, but you are happy to have him in the team every single time.”

Genge believes Farrell is “big enough to look after himself” in response to the booing, which was in marked contrast to the positive reception that greeted the names of Marcus Smith and George Ford.

Attack coach Richard Wigglesworth sees Farrell’s unpopularity in Marseille as the work of a noisy minority.

“I heard an incredible atmosphere inside the stadium, an amazing amount of support. The minority are always the loudest. They are who you hear,” Wigglesworth said.

“But the majority of people in the stadium, the majority of the people turning up are loving this team and supporting it. I thought they were incredible inside the stadium.”

Rassie Erasmus insists South Africa will not be lulled into complacency by the negativity surrounding the ability of World Cup semi-final opponents England.

The reigning champions are red-hot favourites to win Saturday’s Paris showdown with Steve Borthwick’s side to keep their title defence on track.

England came into the tournament in dismal form and with plenty of fans and pundits predicting a pool-stage exit.

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Yet Borthwick’s men are the only unbeaten side still standing and the northern hemisphere’s sole representative in the last four.

While England’s relatively smooth progress has been aided by a favourable route, Springboks director of rugby Erasmus is braced for a “very tough test” and highlighted the similar statistics of the two nations to emphasise his point.

“If we think England is bad because people from outside say that they are not doing well… our reality is the truth, not the reality that people create outside our camp,” he told a media briefing on Monday.

“We know from the Premiership, a lot of our players play against them, and we know Borthwick is an excellent coach which he showed at Leicester and as a captain and a player for England.

“It will be a very tough test against a team that hasn’t lost a game and more or less conceded the same amount of tries and racked up the same amount of points (as us).

“If you look at England, they scored 19 tries and got 180 points and we scored 26 tries and also have 180 points.

“Then if you look on the points conceded side, they’ve conceded six tries, we’ve conceded seven and they’ve conceded 63 points and we’re 62.

“So, you can know how close this game (will be) if you just look at stats – and I know stats don’t always tell the whole picture.”

Three-time winners South Africa set up a rematch of the 2019 final, which they won 32-12, by extinguishing the dream of hosts France.

The Springboks edged an epic Stade de France encounter 29-28 on Sunday evening to replace eliminated group phase rivals Ireland at the top of the world rankings.

“It was two teams that tactically, physically and mentally tried to really push one another to the edge,” Erasmus said of the clash with Fabien Galthie’s men.

“(It was) a relief to beat a team that is so well coached, which afterwards I had a beer with, and I must say the respect that he (Galthie) showed and the way he spoke to us afterwards was really humble and sincere.”

England face South Africa in the World Cup semi-finals on Saturday despite entering the competition amid rock-bottom expectations.

Here, the PA news agency looks at some of the questions surrounding their bid to relieve the Springboks of their crown.

What has happened?

England being the solitary standard bearers for the northern hemisphere at this stage of the World Cup was a fanciful prospect when they departed for France in late August, yet while France, Ireland, Scotland and Wales have fallen around them, they have advanced into the last four as the tournament’s only unbeaten side. It is some turnaround given their tribulations in the build-up.

Why was August so bad?

Maulings by Wales, Ireland and Fiji extended their losing streak to five defeats in six Tests, leading to fears that they would not even emerge from the World Cup’s weakest group. Suddenly clashes with Argentina, Japan and Samoa seemed like mountains to climb. The lowest ebb came in their tournament send-off at Twickenham when Fiji prevailed 30-22 in their first ever victory against England. Expectations were at an all-time low.

How did they turn it around?

Through a combination of good fortune and competence. Fiercest pool rivals Argentina were clueless and were routed even though England had Tom Curry sent off after 179 seconds, while Japan were a shadow of the team that lit up the 2019 World Cup. That meant by the time they faced a brilliant Samoa they had already qualified as group winners. England were blessed by being picked in the easier side of the draw – and there was no easier battleground than Pool D – but they also played smart rugby, faced down adversity and overall struck the right note in selection, even showing a flair for innovation by picking Marcus Smith at full-back that is a credit to the management.

What role has their conditioning played?

For all the despair of August, it is possible to caveat those results as details emerged after England’s arrival in France that the players had been subjected to unusually high training loads during the Test weeks. It drained them of energy, most noticeably against Ireland, with a view to ensuring they would peak for the key group match against Argentina – who they duly battered. The objective then was to be ready for the quarter-final, the stage by which their World Cup success would be judged, and on Saturday they edged a tense battle with Fiji that has provided the required pass mark.

Can they win it?

South Africa’s epic victory over France in the quarter-finals has seen the reigning champions installed as odds-on favourites to lift the Webb Ellis Trophy via a conclusive win over England, but Steve Borthwick’s team have a puncher’s chance. The Springboks are a significant step up in class compared to any opponent they have faced, but England have the muscle to take them on up-front, field some genuine threats in attack – Smith, Ben Earl and Joe Marchant among them – and have developed the priceless knack of finding a way to win. Memories of being overwhelmed in Yokohama in 2019 will drive them on, as will the imminent retirement of a number of long-serving stars, but it remains colossal challenge.

Manie Libbok admitted South Africa will be loaded with confidence going into their World Cup semi-final with England after coming through one of the greatest rugby matches in living memory with a one-point victory over hosts France.

In a titanic quarter-final in Paris on Sunday, the Boks twice came from behind to eke out a 29-28 triumph, ending Les Bleus’ 18-game winning run on home soil and ruining their talismanic captain Antoine Dupont’s much-hyped return from injury.

Having pulled off such a momentous victory, the defending champions are now hot favourites to see off Steve Borthwick’s England at Stade de France next Saturday and reach the final for a second tournament running.

“Obviously we’re going to take a lot of positives out of the game because France are a quality team who have done well over the past few years,” said stand-off Libbok.

“We’ve still got a lot of stuff to work on and rectify for the semi-finals but we can take a lot of confidence from beating France.

“They put us under pressure from the word go and it was really hard. I am very proud of the guys for sticking in there and sticking to our game.

“It definitely felt like a game that could go either way and we came out on the right side of it.”

While supporters inside the stadium and watching on television on Sunday were gripped by a captivating showdown that ebbed and flowed at breakneck pace, Libbok found it a thrill to play in.

“Most definitely it was one of the best games I have ever been involved in,” he said. “It was big, obviously with the crowd as well, it was an amazing atmosphere. I really enjoyed it.”

The drama of the quarter-final showdown was highlighted by a moment in the six-try first half when South Africa winger Cheslin Kolbe bolted out to successfully charge down a conversion attempt from Thomas Ramos.

“Cheslin doing that was insane, actually,” said Libbok. “We were very happy for what he did because it took two points away from them and when you look at the result, there was only one point in it, so it was massive from Cheslin.”

Libbok is adamant South Africa will not treat England lightly even though they have been struggling in recent years and are widely deemed to have reached the semi-final mainly due to being in the half of the draw that featured none of the five top-ranked teams in the world.

“England are also a quality team and it’s a play-off so anything can happen,” said the number 10. “It’s important for us to focus on ourselves.

“Recovery is massive now. We have to recover well and prepare well so we are ready to play to the best of our abilities.”

Saturday’s semi-final represents a rematch of both the 2007 and 2019 finals and South Africa scrum-half Faf de Klerk insisted Borthwick’s side should not be underestimated.

“We have played against England a lot. Obviously they have been struggling before the World Cup but they have definitely started to turn things around,” said the 31-year-old, who came off the bench on Sunday to help the Boks see the job through.

“It is going to be a very big, tough challenge, especially with a six-day turnaround. We just have to focus on recovery and make sure we are ready for that.”

Jack Conan says failing to give Johnny Sexton a fairytale farewell at the Rugby World Cup was arguably the most painful aspect of the “toughest” defeat of his career.

Captain Sexton was sent into retirement two games earlier than he had hoped by Saturday evening’s crushing 28-24 quarter-final loss to New Zealand in Paris.

Leinster number eight Conan, who came off the bench against the All Blacks, believes his long-term team-mate for club and country is the “greatest Irish player of all time”.

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“I’ve lost a lot of big games in my career but this is definitely the toughest one to take,” he said.

“It’s not lost on us how much sacrifice people made to come and support us. Whether you were here or at home, it has meant the world to all of us and it’s something we spoke about a lot.

“We’re genuinely just gutted that we couldn’t do it for them and that we couldn’t do it for Johnny, someone who deserves so much for the sacrifices he has made, for the player he is and for the man he is, for the leader that he is.

“He has been everything that has been good about Irish rugby for nearly two decades and to not give him the send-off that he deserves is probably the hardest thing to take.

“He is how we measure ourselves, he is the standards setter, he is the leader, he is an unbelievably good bloke on and off the pitch.

“It might be lost on people at times but he cares more than any player I have ever met in any sport I have seen.

“He cares so much and he sacrifices so much and it doesn’t feel right that we couldn’t do it for him.

“In my eyes, he is the greatest Irish player of all time for what he has done and it’s been an incredible joy of mine to play with him for so many years and to have been in so many dressing rooms with him. It’s just not right that we couldn’t do better for him.”

Sexton’s 118th and final match in the green jersey marks the end of an era for Ireland.

Keith Earls is also retiring, while question marks hang over the international futures of other senior members of Andy Farrell’s squad.

Conan intends to carry on but concedes he may not be around for the 2027 World Cup in Australia.

“There’s so much talent in the squad and so much belief, maybe in four years’ time we’ll push on and we’ll go all the way,” said the 31-year-old.

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“I don’t know if I’ll be there at that stage but there’s just so much talent coming through and lads will push on to make their debuts and add value to Irish rugby.

“You can’t take (away from) what this squad has done, so many firsts: first Test match victory in New Zealand, first Test series win in New Zealand, first Grand Slam at home, and it’s been a joy to be a small part of it along the way.

“I wouldn’t trade anything for what we’ve been through as a squad. It’s tough to say now but you’d have to think that we’ll be better down the line.

“There will be new faces and new people coming in who will get opportunities to push us forward and I’m hoping I can be a part of it and go on to achieve more, because it’s the greatest joy in my life to pull on this jersey and wear it for the people that helped me to get here to this stage.”

Danny Care is ready for the biggest game of his life when England face South Africa in the Rugby World Cup semi-finals.

A repeat of the 2019 final will see England arrive at Stade de France on Saturday as the tournament’s solitary remaining unbeaten team.

Four successive pool-stage victories and a quarter-final triumph against Fiji have combined to confound the critics who predicted an underwhelming tournament for Steve Borthwick’s team.

And while reigning world champions South Africa are firm favourites, resilient England remain in the fight.

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“We have got two more weeks and a massive game to fly into, which will be the biggest game of my life. I can’t wait,” England scrum-half Care said.

“I think the character of this team was questioned before the World Cup and whether we had anything in us to come out here and do anything.

“Hopefully, we have quietly gone about our business and ticked off a few wins. Four from four in the pools, a fifth in the quarter-final against a team who everybody was saying was going to surprise us and beat us.

“It clicked when we got over here, training went up a notch, perhaps because of the severity of where we were and the realisation that we were at a World Cup – the last one for a few of us, the first for others.

“That mixture came together and we gave it our all. We feel like we deserve to be here. We are going to give it our all next weekend and try and make everyone at home proud.

“We have got a lot of lads who played in the World Cup final four years ago, a lot of lads who have won big trophies, won big games. We will use all of that next week to hopefully get another big win.

“We are delighted to be in the semi-final of this World Cup – one step closer to the dream.”

At 36, Care might be in the twilight phase of a Test career that began 15 years ago, but he has showcased every bit of experience gained from winning 94 England caps.

He followed up scoring the winning try in England’s tense victory over Samoa by being at the forefront of the impressive finale in Marseille that repelled a thrilling Fiji fightback and closed out a 30-24 win.

Owen Farrell’s drop goal and penalty confirmed a semi-final ticket, and Care said of the England captain: “Owen was brilliant, as George (Ford) has been brilliant for four games.

“I have played with Owen for 10-12 years now. His levels never dip, both on the field and off the pitch. He is an unbelievable person, an unbelievable player.

“I still think he won’t get the recognition he properly deserves until he stops playing, which I still find incredible. He is showing again and again what a wonderful world-class player he is. He is a top bloke.”

Owen Farrell is criticised unfairly and should receive greater acclaim after leading England into the World Cup semi-finals, according to attack coach Richard Wigglesworth.

Farrell vindicated his selection ahead of George Ford at fly-half with a man-of-the-match display in Sunday’s 30-24 victory over Fiji, landing a crucial drop-goal and penalty as part of a 20-point haul.

England’s captain kicked and passed with accuracy throughout and had a hand in Manu Tuilagi’s opening try – all in defiance of the booing that greeted his name being read out on the pre-match tannoy at Stade Velodrome.

The fans’ response was typical of a player who divides opinion, but he was outstanding as England dug themselves out of trouble against Fiji and Wigglesworth feels he does not get the credit he deserves.

“We are lucky to have Owen. As ever, the tallest trees catch the most wind and he seems to catch a fair bit of it,” Wigglesworth said.

“He’s proven time and time and time again and I don’t understand why in England we feel the need to not celebrate that, not enjoy it, just because he’s not sat in front of social media or the media lapping all that up.

“He is incredibly serious abut his career, he is an incredibly proud Englishman. He affects any team he is in and he was brilliant for us – as we knew he would be.

“That was the maddening part of any noise. We knew what was coming from him.”

South Africa await in the last four and enter the rematch of the 2019 final as strong favourites following their monumental victory over France in Paris on Sunday night.

The tournament has lost its magic with the demise of France, Fiji and Ireland, but England will not care as they continue to surpass expectations, progressing as the only unbeaten team.

A fifth appearance in the final appears an unlikely prospect, however, with Wigglesworth aware of the challenge ahead.

“How special is it to be able to beat France, with the form they are in and in their own backyard? That was a special performance from an incredible team,” Wigglesworth said.

“We are probably talking about one of the best rugby teams to ever do it aren’t we? The strength of their game and how they play is well known, but in the last year or so you’ve seen a massive evolution in what they do.

“They’ve started adding things to their game with how they move the ball and how they exit, all different things so they’ve now got more variety.

“They’ve got multiple threats now and that’s probably why they are aiming to be one of the best ever.”

England are hoping to have a clean bill of health against South Africa with players undergoing medical checks on Monday morning.

Peter O’Mahony believes Ireland’s beaten World Cup squad have “left Irish rugby in a better place” as he left question marks hanging over his own Test future.

Saturday evening’s heartbreaking 28-24 quarter-final defeat to New Zealand in Paris crushed the dreams of Andy Farrell’s men to mark the end of an era.

Captain Johnny Sexton and wing Keith Earls are confirmed as heading into retirement, with O’Mahony one of 17 members of his country’s 33-man squad aged 30 or over.

The Munster captain, who won his 100th cap against Scotland last weekend, is excited by the potential of the next generation but is unsure whether he will continue at international level.

“There’s a great group of young players there,” said the 34-year-old.

“Lots of players who aren’t here but who were in our squad can step up to the plate as well. I’ve no doubt this team will have left Irish rugby in a better place.

“We’ve achieved a huge amount – there’s no other way of putting it. There’s disappointment, obviously, but I think we can be proud of where we’ve left the jersey.

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“It’s about honouring the jersey and I think this group have left it in a good place.

“Will I come back? We’ll see. It’s tough one to take, as a lot of my friends won’t be back so I’ve a contract to the end of the year and we’ll see how we go after that.”

Ireland looked to have their best opportunity of World Cup glory.

Farrell’s side had topped the global rankings since securing a historic tour success over the All Blacks last summer, a period which included a Six Nations Grand Slam and a 17-match winning run.

But once again they fell at the quarter-final hurdle.

Speaking of Sexton and Earls, flanker O’Mahony said: “It’s tough to lose these guys in these tough circumstances. I’ve spent a lot of time with himself (Earls) and Johnny obviously.

“Probably every one of my caps had one or two of them in it, if not all of them. It’s tough to lose fellas like that – big characters, big players for us.

“Most importantly, big people, the best type of people, fellas who have your back all the time, good friends of mine, so it’s tough to say goodbye to them.

“It is the end of an era. You’ve a group of senior players who are moving on. There’s no other way of putting it.

“There’s a group of guys who won’t play for Ireland again who’ve had an incredible impact on Irish rugby.”

O’Mahony, who won the first of his 101 Ireland caps in 2012 and represented the British and Irish Lions in 2017, felt the dejected post-match atmosphere was the “toughest” he has faced.

Yet he also put the disappointment into perspective.

“Andy spoke really well, about how proud we should be of the last few years,” he said.

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“I thought he was very professional and very positive to be fair. It’s a tough dressing room, probably the toughest I’ve been in, to be honest.

“It’s a terribly tough pill to swallow. But look, there’s worse things going on in the world. We’ll understand that over the next 24 to 48 hours.

“I’m sure there’s lots of kids who we’ve inspired to take up the game and who might be in this position in 15 to 20 years’ time and you can look back and be proud of that.”

Antoine Dupont criticised the standard of refereeing after France crashed out of their home World Cup with a heartbreaking single-point defeat to reigning champions South Africa in Paris.

The Springboks edged an epic contest at Stade de France 29-28 to set up a semi-final showdown with England.

Les Bleus captain Dupont suffered major disappointment on his highly-publicised return from a fractured cheekbone and felt substandard officiating was partly to blame.

Asked about the performance of New Zealand referee Ben O’Keefe, the scrum-half replied: “Well, what did you think of it?

“It’s hard to talk about things because there is a lot of disappointment, a lot of frustration.

“There were a few clear things where the whistle wasn’t blown.

“I don’t want to be a bad loser and moan about the refereeing but I’m not sure the level of refereeing was up the level of the game today.”

A disconsolate Dupont was pictured with his hands on his head at full-time and was later in tears as he was embraced by his parents.

The 26-year-old was back in action just 24 days since sustaining the serious facial injury which threatened to prematurely end his tournament, donning a scrum-cap for added protection.

France flew out of the blocks and led 22-19 at the end of one of the most exhilarating opening 40 minutes in World Cup history in which the two teams shared six tries.

Eben Etzebeth returned from the sin-bin to help South Africa over the line with the only touchdown of a tighter second period, while Les Bleus were left to rue one of Thomas Ramos’ three conversion attempts being charged down by Cheslin Kolbe.

France head coach Fabien Galthie revealed prop Uini Atonio and lock Romain Taofifenua, the two oldest members of his squad, will retire and confirmed he intends to remain in his role.

French President Emmanuel Macron provided solace to his country’s players in the dressing room after the match.

“For four years we wrote a beautiful page of French history that the players can be proud of,” said Galthie.

“We can also be sad tonight because of the result.

“No regrets. You’re allowed to lose like we did today. We did everything to optimise our potential.”

Asked if there was a chance he may step down, the 54-year-old replied: “Well, no, I’ve got a contract to June 2028.”

Tournament hosts France bowed out of the World Cup in agonising fashion after losing by a point to defending champions South Africa as the Stade de France hosted another epic quarter-final that hung in the balance until the very last moment.

Just 24 hours after New Zealand edged out Ireland in a six-try thriller in northern Paris, the other two members of the world’s top four served up a last-eight showdown that somehow eclipsed it for drama and scintillating rugby.

On a frenzied night when France’s talismanic captain Antoine Dupont made his much-hyped return following a broken cheekbone – sporting a scrum-cap – Les Bleus were defeated 29-28 as the defiant Boks held on to set up a semi-final showdown with England at the same venue next Saturday.

Having experienced the hostility of the French crowd when they lost narrowly in Marseille last November, South Africa had been training with background noise blaring through speakers in the lead-up to the quarter-final.

The Boks’ efforts to combat the impact of the partisan home support looked futile in the early moments, however, as the French started like a train and threatened to blow their opponents away.

Les Bleus – eyeing a 19th consecutive home win – signalled their intent from the outset and Louis Bielle-Biarrey was desperately close to scoring in the second minute but he was just unable to get a firm enough hand on the ball to force it down after getting himself over the line on the left.

The French kept their foot to the floor, though, and they had their supporters in raptures in the fourth minute as prop Cyril Baille dotted over for an easy finish on the right following a ferocious maul towards the line after a quickly-taken lineout. Thomas Ramos added the extras.

South Africa, summoning the resolve of champions, managed to stem the blue tide and get themselves a foothold in the game. They levelled things up out of nothing as a high ball over the top bounced kindly for Kurt-Lee Arendse, who burst over the line, with Manie Libbok adding the conversion.

Ramos attempted to edge the French back in front with a penalty attempt from just shy of the halfway line but it lacked the required distance.

Remarkably, it was the Boks who got themselves ahead in the 18th minute when Damian de Allende forced his way over at the second attempt. Libbok – whose inconsistent kicking has become a talking point in this tournament – was off target with the conversion.

The frenzied start continued when French hooker Peato Mauvaka forced his way over on the right for the fourth try of the evening in the 22nd minute. Adding to the drama, Ramos’ conversion attempt was brilliantly charged down by Cheslin Kolbe.

That would ultimately prove crucial and the jet-heeled Kolbe had another big impact at the other end of the pitch five minutes later as he outpaced two French chasers to reach a clever kick through from Jesse Kriel and bolt over on the left. This time Libbok was on point with his conversion.

The French levelled things up again just after the half-hour when prop Baille pushed over for his second score, with Ramos converting.

The Boks suffered a blow at the end of the first half when lock Eben Etzebeth was yellow-carded for a head-on-head tackle on Uini Atonio. Ramos kicked the resulting penalty to ensure the French went in with a 22-19 lead at the end of one of the most exhilarating 40 minutes in Rugby World Cup history.

South Africa changed their half-back pairing early in the second half as they sent on Handre Pollard and Faf de Klerk for Libbok and Cobus Reinach, shortly before Etzebeth returned with no further damage done on the scoreboard in his absence.

With the pace of the game having subsided, Ramos stretched the French lead to six points with another penalty in the 54th minute.

However, the topsy-turvy nature of this titanic encounter continued and – just as France looked to have some control – the Boks got themselves a point ahead in the 67th minute when Etzebeth forced over for the seventh try of the night, converted by Pollard. And two minutes later, Pollard put his team four points to the good with a penalty.

Ramos reduced the deficit to a point with a kick of his own in the 72nd minute, setting up a grandstand finale, but the French were unable to muster one final score as their dreams of a first World Cup on home soil died.

England head coach Steve Borthwick hailed his players’ composure and resilience after they repelled a thrilling Fiji fightback to book a place in the Rugby World Cup semi-finals.

Fiji tied the game after scoring two converted tries in four second-half minutes, but skipper Owen Farrell kicked a late drop-goal and penalty to see England home 30-24.

“For large parts of the game we controlled it,” Borthwick said.

“There was a spell when Fiji scored back-to-back tries which Fiji can do well, probably better than anyone else in the world, but we stayed composed and got back ahead on the scoreboard.

“The players were written off. A lot of people said we wouldn’t get out of the pool. We got out of the pool, now we got out of the quarter-final.

“Now these players have an opportunity in Paris in the semi-final. I am sure we will be written off again, but these players rise to the occasion.”

Farrell scored 20 points and led from the front on his return as starting fly-half, and Borthwick added: “I think he is a fantastic leader. He is the kind of leader I know I would want to follow on to the pitch.

“I think he is a brilliant player who thrives in the contest, and especially in these big occasions he just gets even better.”

England find themselves one win away from a second successive World Cup final appearance, and while they will start as clear outsiders to progress further next Saturday, Borthwick’s team made it five successive victories in the tournament.

“Today, for large parts we controlled the game and then had a couple of thunderbolts that hit the team in quick succession,” he added.

“I think you’ve seen in a (recent) period of time the England team weren’t coming back to win that game, and this team did.

“We talked about scenarios and how you handle different situations. I think the players are drawing on all of those experiences now.”

England controlled the closing minutes of an enthralling encounter in exemplary fashion as Fiji threatened to complete a recovery act they almost pulled off against Wales last month.

Farrell said: “I thought the team was brilliant in those moments. We managed to wrestle our way back into the game and we got in the right parts of the field.

“We managed to take our chances. Not just that, but we backed it up with a big defensive performance on the back of that.

“There are a lot of good teams left in this competition.

“We have got to have a massive amount of respect for what other teams can do – that is what this stage is like. You saw from Fiji today how much power and skill they had, and they could turn it on in the blink of eye.

“We will prepare the way we have been doing over the past five-six weeks we have been here. We will enjoy getting to a big occasion and a big week, and we will attack it.”

Fiji bowed out, but not before producing further evidence of their game-breaking and try-scoring brilliance that troubled Wales and pushed England – who they beat for the first time ever at Twickenham in August – to the limit in Marseille.

“I think it is just the start of something special,” Fiji head coach Simon Raiwalui said. “They wanted to create a new identity, and I think they have done that.

“I am a bit speechless at the moment. I couldn’t be prouder of the boys.

“We’ve worked so hard from week one – 15 weeks now – and they have shown where we belong on the world stage.”

Footage emerged on social media of fans fighting in the stands at Stade Velodrome after England scored their opening try in the first half.

World Rugby has confirmed that a small number of fans were ejected from the stadium as a result.

Owen Farrell steered England into the semi-finals of the World Cup after Steve Borthwick’s side faced down a Fiji fightback in a dramatic 30-24 victory in Marseille.

England appeared to be cruising into the next round when they led 24-10 heading into the final quarter thanks to tries by Manu Tuilagi and Joe Marchant and Farrell’s pinpoint kicking at Stade Velodrome.

But their foundations shook when Peni Ravai went over in the 65th minute and a nerve-jangling finish beckoned as Vilimoni Botitu crossed to level the score soon after.

Farrell landed a drop-goal to usher in the unbearably tense closing minutes and with Fiji throwing the kitchen sink at them, they picked off a loose pass and sped downfield through Joe Marchant.

Farrell landed his fifth penalty and despite one final assault from the Islanders, the white wall held firm to secure a semi-final against either France or South Africa.

England are the only home union side to reach the last four following the demise of Wales and Ireland in this weekend’s quarter-finals but they rode their luck at times during a frenzied second half having played smart rugby before the interval.

The result avenged their first ever loss to Fiji in August and by reaching the penultimate stage of the World Cup they have surpassed expectations given they entered the tournament on the back of five defeats in six Tests.

There was no sign of the fireworks to come as England surged ahead, capitalising on their opponents’ indiscipline to score three points through Farrell before a second penalty produced a line-out drive that ended with Tuilagi diving over in the left corner.

Roared on by fans, Marcus Smith ran from deep but was swallowed up by the Islanders and the drama continued with Maro Itoje intercepting and racing into space before Tom Curry made a dangerously low tackle on Josua Tuisova.

Curry’s offence allowed Frank Lomani to kick three points but England replied with waves of attacks and their tempo stretched Fiji’s defence, allowing Marchant to jink over.

Fiji wing Vinaya Habosi was sent to the sin-bin for a high hit on Smith, who departed for an HIA, but his side were the next over in a breathless first half when Viliame Mata scooped up a loose ball, dummied and strolled over.

Itoje and Courtney Lawes were battered as the Islanders made their presence felt in defence but England continued to force penalties that allowed Farrell to land six more points.

Fiji infringed freely as their opponents racked up time in possession, but two wayward Farrell kicks after he had fired a smart chip into space provided a route out of difficulty and they started moving the ball with menace until Lawes turned them over.

The second half was more ragged and England’s play was frantic at times, lacking the control evident earlier, but the scoreboard kept ticking over as Farrell extended their lead to14 points.

Fiji lost the ball time and again, preventing them from building any momentum, but they faced a muscular defence.

Finally they broke through, Ravai concluding a sustained assault and when the conversion was added, the deficit was down to a converted try.

The tide had turned and when a Simione Kuruvoli penalty struck the upright, it fell to Fiji and they pounded away at the favourites until Isoa Nasilasila forced a gap and Botitu touched down.

Farrell replied with his drop-goal and when Marchant broke clear to relieve the pressure of a Fiji attack, sprinting 60 metres downfield, a penalty was forced that Farrell rifled over.

The Islander fell short with one final attack and when the final whistle sounded they collapsed to the floor in disappointment.

Dan Biggar feels that the future is bright for Wales after his Test career drew to a close following an agonising Rugby World Cup exit.

Wales fly-half Biggar bowed out at Stade Velodrome as hopes of reaching a third World Cup semi-final in the last four tournaments were ended by Argentina.

Biggar, who turns 34 on Monday, won 112 caps during a 15-year career at the top.

He also scored more than 600 points for Wales and was the team’s tactical controller, but Argentina ensured no fairy-tale finish for him, posting a 29-17 victory that took them to Paris and a semi-final appointment with New Zealand on Friday.

Biggar, though, is enthused by the squad he leaves behind, with head coach Warren Gatland having already started an impressive transformation process following last season’s Six Nations misery.

Wales only avoided the wooden spoon by beating Italy in Rome as their campaign played out against a back-drop of contractual and financial uncertainty in Welsh professional rugby that almost led to a players’ strike prior to facing England in Cardiff.

But an unbeaten march through their World Cup pool – it included a record 40-6 win against Australia – and 19 points collected from a possible 20 highlighted an impressive revival.

The tournament also saw further progression for players like Biggar’s expected fly-half successor Sam Costelow, squad co-captains Jac Morgan and Dewi Lake and Exeter forwards Dafydd Jenkins and Christ Tshiunza.

And there were those who did not make the final 33-strong World Cup group – centre Max Llewellyn, wing Tom Rogers, prop Keiron Assiratti, plus locks Ben Carter and Teddy Williams, among others – that give further cause for optimism.

“If you had offered this five months ago, we would have snapped your hand off,” Biggar said.

“This young group have driven standards and pushed us to keep going.

“I have got no doubt they will achieve some really good things if they keep the squad together and allow boys like Sam Costelow some time in that 10 seat and allow him to drive it and make it his team.

“I sat Sam down and told him to make this team his own going forward. I told him ‘my time is over – this is your time, so make it count’.

“I am sure he will because he is a huge talent with a bit of genuine X-factor about him. He can develop into a real leader.

“A strong core of young players will have learned so much from this experience, and they will know that they have got the talent to rub shoulders with the best of the best. I really think the future is bright for Welsh rugby.

“Hopefully people will remember me for being passionate and caring about every moment.

“I am going to miss it. I didn’t think I would be particularly emotional – I almost thought I would be relieved – but there is definitely a bit of sadness.

“I am definitely going to miss it in the months and years to come.

“I think it will be raw for a couple of days, maybe a couple of weeks, but when I reflect back on my career hopefully I will be fairly pleased with what I have done.”

With Gatland in the early phase of a five-year contract during a second stint as Wales boss, attention will soon turn to this season’s Six Nations, while Wales also have a fixture against the Barbarians on November 4.

Japan-bound backs Liam Williams and Gareth Anscombe will not be available for the Six Nations, and it remains to be seen if any players follow Biggar into international retirement.

Gatland added: “You have got to take learnings. How do we develop and improve as a squad?

“I am incredibly proud of the work these players and the whole staff have put in. We have made some really good strides.

“We need to continue on that path. We don’t want to be going backwards, and that is a good challenge for us to accept and make sure we continue to keep improving.”

Wales wing Josh Adams believes that World Cup co-captains Jac Morgan and Dewi Lake will be “massive figureheads” during the build-up to Australia 2027.

The dust has yet to on Wales’ World Cup campaign in France, which was ended by quarter-final opponents Argentina.

And while the immediate reaction is one of major disappointment that Wales could not reach a third semi-final in the last four tournaments, a new generation of talent is emerging.

Morgan, 23, and 24-year-old Lake are at the forefront, having shone at their first World Cup through leadership and performances.

“We have two young captains in Dewi and Jac, and they have led us incredibly well and are a huge voice for us,” Adams said.

“I have enjoyed playing under them and for those two especially, there are massive careers ahead for them.

“They will no doubt be in the next four-year (World Cup) cycle and they will be massive figureheads for a lot of young lads in this team moving forward.

“I am sure they will drive the standards up even higher.”

Lake, meanwhile, has vowed that crestfallen Wales will kick on following the Argentina loss, which came after an unbeaten pool phase that delivered victories over Australia, Fiji, Georgia and Portugal.

Wales face the Barbarians in Cardiff on November 4, then play opening Six Nations opponents Scotland three months later.

“Emotions go up and down, but it is tough to take,” Lake said.

“We were not given a lot of hope from people coming into this tournament. A lot of people said we were not going to get out of the group.

“We will learn a lot from this and a lot of boys are at their first World Cup.

“You don’t learn a lot from winning constantly. Learning comes from losing games and seeing where you can get better and where you went wrong. These are the type of games that build character.

“A loss in a World Cup quarter-final with tears streaming down your face, that is a feeling you never want again. We will kick on from here.”

One player no longer part of Wales’ plans is fly-half Dan Biggar, who has retired from Test rugby after winning 112 caps and scoring more than 600 points.

Whether any of his colleagues follow him into international retirement remains to be seen, but Toulon star Biggar’s 15-year impact on Wales has proved significant.

Lake added: “Any time you lose a figure like that it is a tough loss. He has given his time in Welsh rugby, he is a (caps) centurion, a Lions tourist, a leader, he has been unbelievable in a Lions and Wales jersey.

“What he has given to Wales with the sacrifices, he has taken hits like no other 10 I have seen in world rugby and a lot of people would agree with that.

“In terms of his leadership and speaking after games, we will miss him and I think he will miss us as well.

“He has been an unbelievable ambassador for Welsh rugby and has inspired a lot of people old and young.”

Andy Farrell believes the inspirational spirit of outgoing captain Johnny Sexton can help Ireland return to challenge on the biggest stage after another agonising World Cup exit marked the end of an era.

Ireland suffered elimination following Saturday evening’s tense 28-24 defeat to New Zealand in Paris which stretched their wait for a knockout win at the tournament to 36 years and counting.

Fly-half Sexton and veteran wing Keith Earls are already confirmed to be heading for retirement, while Farrell’s 33-man squad in France contained a further 15 players aged 30 or above.

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The head coach expects the togetherness developed during the last four-year cycle to continue regardless of potential personnel changes and feels the departing Sexton will remain a key part of that.

“I think a lot of our group are still learning and I said to the group in the changing room the reason they’re going to keep on learning is because of this guy (Sexton) sat beside me here,” said Farrell.

“The impact that he’s had on the rest of the team over the last four years has been amazing.

“And the way that he’s conducted himself as a leader and as a player and the way that he’s shown the love of playing for Ireland will be remembered and connected to this group for many years to come.

“Through his example, the younger guys will keep on getting better and striving to be better, there’s no doubt about that.”

Ireland went into a mouthwatering showdown with the All Blacks as the world’s top-ranked team and marginal favourites.

But their remarkable 17-match winning run was halted as the Kiwis avenged last summer’s series defeat on home soil to book a last-four meeting with Argentina.

Asked what gives him confidence for the future, Farrell continued: “Just knowing what we’ve got. The type of character that we’ve got, the type of people we’ve got, the type of player, staff.

“The hunger to want to wear the green jersey.

“It is the end for this team because people are going to be leaving, but the competition that this team has built over the years will continue because of how it’s been driven, certainly over the last couple of years.

“The talent that we’ve got in Ireland will continue to come through and we’ll continue to challenge, I have no doubt about that.”

Fine margins decided a thrilling Stade de France showdown, with New Zealand continually holding Ireland at arm’s length to lead from the eighth minute to the final whistle.

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Scores from native Kiwis Bundee Aki and Jamison Gibson-Park, plus a penalty try, kept Farrell’s men on the cusp of a stunning comeback from 13-0 down.

Farrell had reservations about a raft of scrum penalties conceded by prop Andrew Porter, but was eager for Ireland to avoid sounding like “bitter losers”.

“We’ve a different view to what was going on out there, but we don’t want to sit here and have sour grapes,” he said. “We want to congratulate New Zealand on a fantastic performance.

“The scrum was part of the equation, 100 per cent, and we’ll get the answers. Andrew 100 per cent was very frustrated with what was going on out there.

“We don’t want to be bitter losers. We want to hold our head up high and do it the right way.”

Meanwhile, Sexton paid tribute to fellow retiree Earls, who bows out on 101 caps and second only to Brian O’Driscoll in Ireland’s all-time list of try scorers.

“He’s a legend and one of my best mates, not just in rugby but in life,” said Sexton.

“He’s a top-class human being. You couldn’t meet a more popular lad in the squad.

“He’ll go down as one of the very best for sure. This group will miss him definitely.”